When Broadway star Aaron Lazar was cast for a guest spot on the Amazon MGM series “Countdown,” he wasn’t expecting to bond with star Eric Dane in the way that they did.
“When I met Eric and he shook my hand, I could see and feel something was off,” Lazar tells me. “I asked him what was going on. Eric said to me, ‘I think I have what you have.’”
Lazar was diagnosed with ALS in 2022. When Lazar filmed “Countdown,” it was months before Dane went public with his diagnosis.
“I was in a wheelchair and I was so nervous they weren’t going to be able to dress me in my suits,” Lazar said, referring to his “Countdown” wardrobe to play a governor. “But it turns out they knew exactly what to do because they had already been working with Eric and what he had been going through.”
MORE: Eric Dane Walks First Red Carpet Since ALS Diagnosis, Vows to Keep Acting: ‘It Always Feels Great to Be on Set … I’m Going to Keep Doing It’
Ever since Lazar revealed he was living with the disease, he has made it his mission to educate and inspire—not only about ALS, but any sort of challenge someone may be facing. He went on a year-long speaking tour and earned a Grammy nomination in 2024 for his debut album “Impossible Dream,” which features a “We Are the World”-like rendition of “The Impossible Dream” from “Man of La Mancha” with Sting, Lin Manuel Miranda, Josh Groban, Liz Callaway, Neil Patrick Harris, Leslie Odom Jr., Adrienne Warren, Kelli O’Hara, Norm Lewis and more.
He’s following up his music success with “Impossible Dreams,” a new video podcast series presented by the ALS network, which premieres Tuesday, Oct. 7. Confirmed guests include Mark Cuban, Ben Stiller, Sara Bareilles, Gabrielle Reece, Andrew Rannells and Kristin Chenoweth, among others.
“For me, the podcast is a gathering of stories that remind us of our own power,” Lazar says. “If people walk away from an episode feeling more hopeful, more awake to what’s possible in their own lives, then I’m fulfilling my mission. Our mantra is: live your impossible dreams. My hope is that the podcast helps people do that.”
Lazar’s dream guest is Jim Carrey.
“Jim Carrey embodies the heart of what ‘Impossible Dreams’ is about — transformation,” Lazar says. “He’s an extraordinary soul who has consciously cocreated his life. He’s reached the height of success and turned inward to explore meaning, consciousness, and what truly matters. I think his journey mirrors mine in some ways and our conversation would remind people that joy and awakening can coexist.”
While there is no cure for ALS, Lazar remains optimistic about the future. “I’ve read more than 100 books over the last few years on healing and the nervous system and putting much of that wisdom into practice. I have learned that with courage, hope becomes faith, and faith when practiced becomes belief, and belief when practiced becomes knowing,” says Lazar, who is the father of two teenage boys with his ex-wife. “What started as a seed of hope from within has been cultivated through a disciplined practice into a way of life. I continue to draw inspiration from books, but mainly draw inspiration from helping other people find inspiration. I guess being an inspiration, having an impact on someone else’s life is an honor that deeply inspires me.”
Watch the music video for “The Impossible Dream.”
